Dispensing apparatus



Feb. 26, 1935. PQSLIMQRGAN 1,992,500

DISPENSING APPARATUS Fi led June 14. 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zhwentor Porfer J Morgan attorney 1935- P. s. MORGAN DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 par/er 5 Morgan fill d-f W attorneg Patented Feb. 26, 1935' UNITED STATES Liberty PATENT ome a D nrsmmsme mam-rue Porter 8. Morgan, New York, N. 1., allignor to v Share Corporation, Bnflalo, N. Y. I

A plicant June 14, 1934, Serial No. 73am 0 Claims. (01.22145) This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus. such, for example,as a dispenser for pumping and metering gasoline, and it has particular reference to means for mounting the working parts of the apparatus in a casing therefor.

Dispensers of the type referred to usually embody a cabinet in which is mounted a pump, mo-

tor, meter, and other elements, which are suitably connected to each other to permit the motor to drive the pump to force the liquid through the meter. Due to the conditions of use, it is frequently necessary to change some one or more of the units, or to remove them for service purposes. To obviate too frequent change, however, it is desirable to effect the mounting of the units in a strong and rigid fashion, to overcome stresses or vibrations tending to destroy the apparatus.

According to the present invention, there is provided an improved mounting means for working parts disposed in a cabinet, which, when the parts are assemb1ed,rigid1ybraces them against destructive stresses and reinforces the cabinet itself, and at the same time is readily accessible and adjustable so that initial assembly, removal, or replacement, may be readily effected. As hereinafter more fully described, such mounting means may take the form of a platform for a motor provided with radial arms which are adjustably secured to parts of the cabinet, thereby bracing the cabinet structure, and'with depending feet to which may be secured a pumping unit, which is further advantageously connected to the cabinet structure.

A typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dispensing device with the lower sheet metal casing of the housing structure removed to disclose the pump unit in assembled relation with the housing columns;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the motive elements removed from the pump unit;

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line44of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with the addition of the sheet metal casing to the housing structure;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing one of the connections between the pump unit and the frame columns.

The dispensing device consists of a housing 10 which contains a pump unit 11 and a communieating meter and registering mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 12. The pumping,

unit obtains liquid from a tank or other source through a supply conduit 13 and it delivers the liquid .to the meter whence it is discharged through the usual dispensing hose 14.

With particular reference to the pumping unit 11, it will be observed that it is of the type shown in my copending application Serial No. 622,902, filed July 16, 1932, havingfa cylindrical body 15 disposed on a vertical axis and containing a centrifugal pump 16 connected to an axially disposed drive shaft 18. The input passage 19 for the pump is flanged as indicated by the numeral 21, and an input fitting 22, having a corresponding flange 23, is removably secured theretoby screws 24. The supply conduit 13 is secured to the fitting 23, which contains both a strainer and foot valve,

as set forth in my copending application Serial No. 730,595, flled June 14, 1934, for Pump fitting.- The output passage 26 of the pump similarly terminates in a flange 27 which is secured to the flange 28' of a discharge conduit 29 by screws 31. The conduit 29 extends vertically to the meter.- ing mechanism, disposed in the upper portion of the cabinet.

An electric motor 33 provides a means for op-' erating the pump 16, and its shaft 34 is connected to the pump shaft 18 by a coupling 35 of a conventional type. The motor is rigidly retained aspart of the unit 11 by a base casting 36 having a horizontal pad 3'7 to which the motor is secured by screws 38 and spaced depending brackets 39 which straddle the underlying pump body 15 and which terminate in flanges 41, removably secured to the body 15 by screws 43.

The portion of the housing which encloses the pump unit '11 consists of a frame-like structure formed of a mounting base 45 which is adapted to be secured to a suitable foundation, and a cap member 46 which is. spaced from the base 45 by a plurality of columns 47, preferably of a channel cross-section. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the flanges of the columns 47 all face inward and the lower extremities of the webs thereof are secured by bolts 49 to vertical arms 48 formed out of the base 45, while the upper extremities thereof are secured to a depending annular flange portion 51 of the cap 46 by bolts 52.

The columns are enclosed by a removable sheet metal casing (Fig. 5) comprising a plate 53 forming one side wall and secured to thecap 46 and base 45 by screws 54, and a pair of movable sheet metal sections 55 and 56 each secured at one vertical edge to the plate by hinges 57 formed to complete the enclosure of the columns 47. The

sections 55 and- 66 areioined at their r ingextremitigsandtheyareretainedinthisposition by a latch member 59. These sections may be pivoted about their hinges 57 nearly 180'degrees to expose fully the frame and pumping structures, (Fig. 5).

ThebasecastingSO and theinlet fitting 22 are ,devisedtoserveflameansfor securingtheunit to the frame, the former being formed with four diagonally extending arms 60 terminating adjacent the bolumns 47 in flanges 61 (Fig. 6). The face 62 of each flange is angular with respect to the opposing web of the column and it is provided with a drilled hole 63. The inlet fitting 22 is formed with a pair of horizontally disposed arms aligned holes '14 for receiving bolts 75 which extend through the slots '12 of the wedges and the holes 63 or 67 of the flanges, where they receive securing nuts '16.

In assembly, the pump unit 11, including the attached fitting 22, may be bodily inserted with in the columns 47 and then positioned to align the bolt holes in the frame and pumping unit.

The subsequent insertion of the wedges permits a tight coupling between the columns and the securing flanges of the unit, and the bolts may be finally positioned and tightened without flexing or distorting the frame structure. The wedges may also be utilized to shift laterally or to adjust the major axis of the pumping unit, thereby providing for'accurate alignment.

It will be noted that the motive portions-of the pumping unit may be individually removed from the housing without disturbing the wedge connections. As shown in Fig. 2, the pump body 15 may be removed from the mounted unit by removing the screws which form its connection with the base casting 36, input fitting 22, and discharge conduit 29, and by disconnecting the motor coupling 35. Similarly, the motor 33 may be individually demounted by removing the motor screws 43. In either event the base casting 36 and the inlet fitting 22 are permitted to re- 1 main undisturbed and the removable elements may be'repaired and remounted thereon with equal facility.

It will be apparent that the diagonal arms 60 and 64, together with the rigidly connected elements of the pumping unit, serve to reinforce the frame structure against diagonal loads and the load imposed on the entire structure by the operation of the pump. The use of the specific type of pumping equipment herein shown is intended as an example of but one adaptation of the invention, as obviously other types of pumping devices could be supplied with the reinforcing and mounting structures herein disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing device, a housing having a frame structure including a plurality of vertical columns, a pumping unit disposed within the columns and including a plurality of rigi ly connected'members, certain of said members being formed with arms extending substantially horizontally toward said columns, each arm terminating in an angular face, wedges interposed between each face and the adjoining column, and means for securing each arm to the adjacent column.

2. In a dispensing device, a housing having a frame structure including a plurality of vertical columns, a pumping unit disposed within the columns and comprising a horizontal base member formed with a plurality of horizontal arms each extending toward a column, an'iniet fitting spaced from said base member and formed with a plurality of; similar arms, means for securing each arm to its adjacent column, a pump body, and means removably securing the pump body to the base member and fitting to provide arigid assembly therebetween.

8. In a dispensing device, a housing having a frame structure including a plurality of vertical columns, a pumping unit disposed within the columns and including a plurality of rigidly connected members, certain of said members being formed with arms extending substantially horizontally toward said columns, each arm terminating in an angular face, wedges interposed between each face and the adjoining column, and means for securing each arm to the adjoin-- ing column, the remaining members of the pumping unit being removably secured to the arm carrying members and removable between the columns of the frame. V

4. In a dispensing device, a housing having a frame structure including a plurality of vertical.

channel iron columns having their flanges extending inwardly, a pumping unit disposed within the columns and including a plurality of rigidly connected members, certain of said members being formed with arms extending substantially horizontally toward saidcolumns and terminating in faces angularly disposed relative to the web of the opposing channel, a wedge adjustably interposed between each channel and arm face and formed with an angular face contacting the face of the arm, each wedge formed with said arms to the columns, whereby said unit reinforces said frame structure.

6. A dispensing apparatus comprising a plurality of vertical spaced channel members formed with horizontally aligned apertures, a

spacing and mounting member. disposed between said channels and connected thereto through said apertures, said spacing and mounting member including a centrally disposed pad portion and a plurality of rigid arms radiating therefrom to said channels, wedge members interposed between said channels and the ends of said arms,

securing bolts extending through said channel apertures into said wedges and arms to secure said member in position, said member further having spaced depending feet, a motor positioned on said pad, a pump secured to said feet, a vertically aligned .shaft extending from said motor to said pump, a second spacing and supporting 1 member disposed between apair of said channel members, said second member being formed with a pair of arms and a central portion, said arms extending toward said channels, wedges interposed between the ends of said arms and said channels, securing means extending through said arms, wedges, and channels, means on said central portion providing a connecting member for said pump, whereby by relative adjustment of the wedges of said two members said motor and pump may be brought into axial alignment for said shaft, and the channels, pump, and 5 motor are rigidly and detachably interconnected.

PORTER S. MORGAN. 

